Normal & Unique Are Just Matters of Opinion
by Wolfling21
Summary: Clint Barton has disappeared for the past four months since the Tesseract Incident which does not amuse either Fury or Hill. When his tracker comes back on Natasha is sent to retrieve him. And the Avenger's lives are gonna get a little bit weirder when they realize that the archer has a few tricks in his quiver. Surprises in later chapters.
1. SHIELD Trackers Suck

SHIELD Trackers Suck

**_Author: So I got this really weird idea for a story in my head a couple of days ago &amp; finally figured  
out how to start it. And thank goodness I found an extremely detailed timeline for the movie-verse.  
I own nobody, except Agent Wilson. I just enjoy playing with them. Read &amp; Review please!_**

August 2011

SHIELD Base

Location: Classified

"How does Agent Barton just drop off the map like this?" Maria Hill complained, staring at the holographic map before her.

"Hill if I knew, he wouldn't be disappearing." Natasha told her as she sat down on a table nearby.

"You are his partner Agent Romanoff." Fury pointed out.

"Partner. Not keeper. And he never leaves word with me when he disappears." the red head quipped.

"We need to make the trackers harder to detect &amp; shut off." Maria sighed.

"He would still find it &amp; shut if off. If not destroy it." Tasha said.

"Yes he would." Fury agreed.

"Why?" Maria demanded.

"Clint likes his privacy. He always has." Tasha told her.

Fury looked over at Natasha &amp; raised an eyebrow.

"You want me to tell her the truth?" Tasha asked.

"What truth?" Maria demanded.

"Clint is... unique. He can..." Natasha began before the door opened &amp; another agent walked in.

"This was a private meeting Agent..." Fury growled.

"Wilson sir. And I'm sorry to interrupt but Agent Barton's tracker just came back online." the agent said.

"Where?" Maria demanded.

"In the woods near Ontario. Canada." the agent said.

"What would Agent Barton be doing near Ontario?" Maria asked.

"Hunting." Tasha &amp; Fury said together.


	2. Wild

**_Author: Sorry for not updating sooner. This chapter went through about three or four different drafts.  
Also been working, cleaning, etc... I did intend for this chapter to make people go "WTF?" I own nothing._**

Paws sent him flying through the woods, fast enough to outrun pursuers or chase down prey.

But not nearly fast enough to outrun his demons.

Stopping by the creek to drink, he growled at the ghosts that hovered in the shadows nearby.

Ghosts of innocent men he had killed... complete strangers to him.

Ghosts with faces and names that he knew.

Ghosts who haunted him night and day.

Ghosts who blamed him for their deaths and screamed for his blood.

A blur of brown burst out of the brush nearby and ran directly in front of him, close enough for him to catch without effort.

The rabbit kicked once... twice before going still as he kept his jaws locked around it's neck.

But it wasn't the rabbit's throat he imagined sinking his teeth into... oh no...

He's rather it be Loki's throat any day.

That hair black as a raven's wing.

Emerald eyes filled with malice.

And that mischevious, dangerous grin.

Loki had hoped to tame him and keep him as a pet.

He snarled and dropped the rabbit, turning his rage on dead log nearby.

He ripped into the log with fangs and claws, sending chunks of dead wood flying, all the while wishing it was Loki's body.

He hoped that where ever the mischief god was, he saw and understood his would-be pet's actions.

And he hoped they terrified him.


	3. Red Riding Hood & Her Big Bad Wolf

**_Author: This is what happens when my love for shapeshifters &amp; Avengers breed. I only own the nameless characters. _**

"Can I help you sweetheart?"

Natasha looked over her shoulder at the bartender and eyed the men gathered in the bar before turning to face the bartender.

"Maybe you can. I'm looking for this man." she said, pulling up an image of Clint on her cell phone.

She realized then that she didn't know which alias Clint was using in this town.

"Oh that's that devil Charlie. Haven't seen him in over a month. Got himself into a fight last time he was in here. Fought like some wild beast." the bartender told her.

"Was he hurt?" she asked.

"Charlie? Nah. He won the damn fight. That group there... they got the worst of it." he admitted, nodding a little group at one of the pool tables.

One man had a scar under one eye while another had four long scars on his forearm.

They looked like knife wounds but Natasha knew better.

Many men who had crossed Clint wore scars like those.

"They're just lucky he didn't go for their throats." she muttered.

"Can I get you anything?" the bartender asked.

"Do you have vodka?" Tasha asked.

"Polar Ice and Alberta Pure." he told her.

"Anything other than local brands? Maybe one that's actually Russian?" she asked.

"Afraid not Miss Ruskie." he chuckled.

"I'd suggest you watch you tongue, снег обезьяна. Especially if you'd like to keep your manhood." she hissed.

Her next stop was Clint's house: a rough, wooden cabin hidden in the woods with little more than a dirt path to double as a driveway.

How he managed it on his motorcycle, she would probably never know.

"Clint? It's Natasha!" she called, climbing out of her car.

Silence.

Not even a bird call.

"Clint?" she called again as she pulled her gun from her thigh holster.

If there was a trespasser on the property, then Clint would have their blood.

Nobody came out here uninvited and there wasn't another soul for at least twenty miles or so.

The barn door was chained shut which went that his truck and motorcycle were both locked away inside.

So he hadn't to leave in a while... or couldn't.

"Stop it. Clint's fine." Natasha told herself, heading up the porch steps.

The door was unlocked (it always was) and open just a little... just enough to allow someone or something entrance.

"Clint? It's Tasha." she whispered, stopping to let her eyes adjust to the lack of light and smiling at familiar cabin.

Clint's home smelled like furs, musk and the woods.

She knew that there was always at least one bottle of good Russian vodka in the house.

And an oh so comfortable bed to fall into with Clint after a long mission.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Shaking her head, she turned her attention to the figure standing not even two feet from her.

A black wolf with shocking blue eyes... Clint's eyes.

"Just thinking." she whispered, reaching for him.

His fur melted away under her fingers as his body changed from wolf to man.

But his teeth stayed sharp, his grin was slightly feral and there was still some dark fur on his belly.

"How long where you in your pelt?" she whispered as she slid to her knees in front of him.

"Don't know. Since before the last full moon." he muttered in a voice rough from disuse.

"That was almost a month ago. The next full moon is in less that a week. You know it's dangerous to stay in your pelt so long." she told him.

"Was hoping it would make shit easier to deal with... but I still see the ghosts of the people I killed." he sighed.

"Loki killed those people Clint." she told him, gently stroking his cheek.

"With my arrows." Clint growled.

"You weren't you." Tasha argued.

"I hate you." he whispered.

"No you don't." she sighed.

"You're right... a wolf could never hate his mate." Clint breathed, resting his head against her shoulder and letting her hold him.

**_снег обезьяна means Snow Monkey in Russian. Slang term for a Canadian. ty internet._**


	4. Wrong Set of A-Holes

_**Author: age of ultron is only a few weeks away! :) And I dug this store up from its grave. Warning for language mostly. And lots of amusing references. I own nothing. Except Clint being a shifter!**_

Fury glanced at his watch again, seeing that only five minutes had passed since the last time he had checked.

"Should I try to contact them sir?" Maria Hill asked from nearby.

"No. We arrived early. They'll be here." Fury told her.

Natasha had checked in last week with news that she had found Clint and that he was fine, just spending a great deal of time in his pelt.

The meeting had been arranged for after the full moon, mostly to give Clint time to rest up but also to allow the Avengers time to gather.

"Director Fury, Agents Barton and Romanoff have arrived and are on their way up." Stark's AI piped up.

"About damn time." Fury muttered.

Down the hall the elevator dinged and Natasha's voice reached their ears, "I told you that we would be late."

"We're not late. Fifty bucks says Fury got here early and we are right on time." Clint's voice quipped.

"Make a pair of deer skin gloves. With rabbit fur lining and you have a deal." Natasha told him.

The door slid open and the pair stepped inside.

"Nice of you to join us. And Barton was right." Maria said.

Natasha stuck her tongue out at Clint who smirked in return.

"Sorry boss. We got into town early and decided to go raise a little hell. Almost lost track of time." Clint told Fury, glancing briefly at Maria.

"I can tell." Fury assured him.

Clint's hair was sticking out in multiple directions, his eyes were almost glowing, he hadn't shaved and his teeth looked sharper than they should be.

...he was still plenty feral and it was dangerously obvious.

And the effect he had on the room made it even more so.

Steve cocked his head a bit as he regarded Clint.

His heightened senses caught a strong scent of something drifting off the archer.

It wasn't quite testosterone... He had smelled that in the helicarrier lab when they had been arguing amongst themselves.

It wasn't quite sex, he had learned that scent because of his noisy next door neighbors who never seemed to get out of bed.

It almost reminded him of the wild dogs he and the Commandos came across in Germany sometimes.

"Got a bunch of dogs Barton?" Steve asked politely.

Clint raised an eyebrow and glanced at Natasha who smirked.

"Not really." He shrugged, flopping down on the couch.

Bruce gave his head a shake as the Other Guy growled softly in his mind.

Something about Barton had him on edge... Something almost feral.

The Other Guy had reacted to animals this way before but not humans.. Or even Thor.

"You okay?" Tony asked, nudging him.

"Fine." Bruce said as Clint settled on the couch with Tasha.

Tony glanced over his shoulder as the newly arrived pair settled on his couch like they owned it.

Tasha turned heads when she walked into a room because of her looks but Clint turned heads because of something else...

"It's called animal attraction Stark." Clint chuckled.

"How did you do that?" Tony asked.

"I'm just that damn good." The archer laughed.

"Children." Fury snapped.

"Yes dad?" Clint called

Fury narrowed his eye at them and said, "You ass holes are all to remain here until I can convince the World Security Council that none of you are a threat to society."

"Have they met us?" Clint asked.

"And we are not assholes. I believe that's another team." Tony added.

"Then you should be on that team." Natasha told him.

Tony glared at her as Fury cleared his throat for their attention.

"There won't be any SHIELD mission for Agents Barton and Romanoff for a time so I suggest you two get comfortable here." He added.

"Like we haven't already?" Natasha chuckled.

"Barton... Keep your furry little problem under control while you are here." Fury growled on his way out the door.

"What? Legolas is Moony now?" Tony asked.

Clint chunked a throw pillow at him and said, "Stark shut the fuck up."


	5. Padfoot

_**Author: inspired by the opening scene of age of ultron. Bit of spoilers and language. I own nothing except Clint being a shifter**_

"Barton tell me you have eyes on what's going!?" Steve shouted.

"I've only got two of the damn things and I've got eyes on Stark. And it's hard to miss you and Thor." Clint smirked.

Steve rolled his eyes and ducked behind his shield as bullets ricoheted off.

"Barton! Take him out or I will!" Natasha shouted.

"Yeah yeah I got him!" Clint shouted, firing an arrow... Which embedded itself in it's targets back.

"Stark! Thor!" Steve shouted.

"The enemy is almost defeated Captain!" Thor bellowed, sending lightning at his opponents.

"Yeah but we still got some incoming!" Stark called.

"What direction?" Steve, Natasha and Thor shouted.

"West! I've got visual!" Clint shouted.

"Somebody wanna call in the big guy?" Stark asked.

A roar echoed through the area and Clint chuckled, "I think he's already here boys."

"Smart ass." Stark laughed.

"Language." Steve scolded.

Natasha laughed and asked, "Who wants to be the one to tell the big guy?"

"I will. Need a better view point." Clint told them, hopping off his perch and slipping into the woods.

"Barton check in when you find a new perch." Steve commanded.

"Gotcha boss." The archer chuckled.

Hulk turned as Hawkeye slid down a small hill towards him.

"Easy big guy. There's some bad guys coming..." Clint began as bullets tore apart the trees next to them.

Hulk roared and rushed the soldiers.

"Hawkeye! Hawkeye! What the hell happened!?" Steve shouted.

"Son of a bitch! Bastards got here sooner than expected!" Clint shouted over the gun fire.

"Language!" Tony shouted.

"Can it!" Steve snapped.

"Are you hurt Clint?!" Natasha demanded, diving onto one of enemy troops and shoving her Widow Bites into his neck.

"Mildly. Assholes grazed me." Clint growled.

"Where's Banner?" Tony asked.

An enemy soldier flew by Clint and Hulk roared.

"That answer your question?" Clint snarled, tossing aside his vest.

"Clint!" Natasha shouted.

"Sorry Nat! Little hard to not to go kinda furry right now!" Clint growled before he shoved his com into his quiver.

"Barton?" Hulk growled, staring at the figure at the base of the tree.

"I'll be okay." Clint snarled as his bones shifted and stretched.

Hulk cocked his head and carefully picked up Clint's weapons and clothes as the black wolf shook itself.

"Barton!" Steve shouted.

"You're not gonna get an answer Cap. At least not a traditional one." Natasha told him.

"Hulk took out the new players." Stark reported.

"Tasha, time for a lullaby." Steve told her.

Clint settled down and licked his leg, whining softly.

"Hurt?" Hulk asked.

Clint cocked his head before staring off into the distance and wagging his tail.

"_Natasha_." He whined.

Hulk sniffed the air and realized what had Clint excited.

"Hey big guy!" Natasha called, appearing through the trees.

Hulk took a few steps forward to greet her uneasily.

"The sun's getting real low big guy." Natasha said gently.

Hulk shook his head and snorted softly before growling, "Barton need Banner."

"Barton need Banner? Is he hurt?" Natasha demanded.

"Wolf... Hurt." Hulk told her.

"Guys... I think Clint is hurt. Hulk is telling me that Barton needs Banner." Natasha said.

"I thought we lost contact with him." Steve said.

"We did but Hulk knows where he is." Natasha whispered.

"Find him and find out how badly hurt he is." Steve told her.

"Got it. Hulk show me Barton." Natasha said.

Hulk led her back to where he left the black wolf curled up at the base of the tree.

"_Tasha_." Clint whimpered, lifting his nose from his tail.

"Let me see how badly you're hurt." She whispered, rubbing one of his ears.

"_Leg... Bullet... Still in muscle_." Clint whined.

"Guys... We need to get Clint out of here. He's got a bullet lodged in the muscle of his leg." Natasha announced.

"Need Banner." Hulk said.

"Yes we do." Natasha agreed.

"Tony do you have visuals on Hulk and Natasha?" Steve asked.

"Yeap. Head to your left through the woods and look for something big and green." Tony chuckled.

"And what of friend Barton?" Thor asked.

"Can't see him." Tony admitted.

"I've got a visual on him boys. Just find us." Natasha said as Banner tugged a shirt over his head.

"Is this commonplace?" Bruce asked, parting the fur on Clint's leg to check the wound.

"We'll explain later." Natasha promised softly.

Tony laughed behind them and crowed, "Legolas is Padfoot!"


	6. questions all around

**_Author: I don't know if shifters appear in the other realms at all or how often they are even mentioned in the comics anywhere so taking liberties. If you've read Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause, Clint in his wolf form is a bit like the shifters in that book_**.

"We need to get the bullet out of his leg now. I need someone to go to the plane for supplies." Banner said, gingerly touching Clint's side.

"Not me. I wanna hear why Legolas can turn into Padfoot." Tony laughed.

"Oh no Stark you're going. Jarvis can identify the supplies he needs and you can get to and from the fastest." Steve commanded.

"Come on Cap." Tony whined.

Clint growled deep in his throat at Tony and snarled.

"Okay okay Poochie. What do Ya need Banner?" Tony asked.

Banner gave Tony a list of supplies before the billionaire shot off.

"How is it that friend Barton is able to become a large wolf?" Thor asked, draping his cape over Clint gently.

"Genetic experimentation. The other subjects died. But Clint has a mutation in his DNA that allowed him to survive." Natasha sighed.

"What were the people who did this to him trying to achieve?" Banner asked.

"A sort of super soldier with animalistic abilities or senses. I'm not completely sure which. But the mutation in Clint's DNA gave him the ability to shape shift." Natasha whispered, stroking Clint's muzzle.

"And he can willing change form?" Steve asked.

"Usually. It's harder to stay human when he's in pain. Or around the full moon." Natasha shrugged.

"So that part of the legend is true? Padfoot can't stay human around the full moon." Tony chucked, landing nearby.

_"I'm going to bite him. Somewhere very unpleasant." _Clint grumbled.

_"_I don't blame you." Natasha smirked.

"Thor can you put your cape underneath him please?" Bruce asked, digging through the supplies Tony had returned with.

Clint grumbled loudly and forced himself up on his paws to allow Thor to situate his cape so he could lay on it.

"Don't hurt yourself." Natasha whispered.

_"Those bastards did it for me. And I'm gonna rip out the next son of a bitch's throat who does the same."_ Clint snarled.

"Clint lay down please. And while I'm not a veterinarian, I will do the best I can." Bruce assured him.

Clint flopped down on the cape and rested his head in Natasha's lap, glancing at the rest of the team.

Tony was staring at him with a smirk that promised more teasing later.

Steve had sat down on a fallen tree nearby and was watching the entire scene curiously.

Thor, however, knelt down and gingerly touched Clint's furry shoulder and whispered, "You are a brave warrior friend. No matter what form you are in."

Clint sighed and wagged his tail at the Asgardian's words.

"Keep him still. This is going to hurt a lot." Bruce said.

Natasha wrapped her arms around Clint's shoulders as Thor set a hand on Clint's side.

"Are there shifters in Asgard?" Steve asked.

"Not in Asgard no. But in the other realms, there are rumors. Though no one has seen a shape shifter in quite some time." Thor admitted.

Clint jerked and growled before settling back down as Bruce dug the bullet out.

It wouldn't do any good to bite the man who was going to be stitching him up soon.

"What kind of stories are there about them?" Natasha asked.

"I know very few. They speak of brave warriors who fought in ancient wars as both animals and a man. They also speak of creatures that were part man and part animal." Thor told her.

"Half man half human. Can he do that?" Tony asked, nodding to Clint.

Clint made a scoffing sound and rolled his eyes.

"He gets to a point of looking half man half wolf during the shift. But he can't hold it." Natasha said.

"Watching the shift... It was strange. It looked painful." Bruce whispered.

_"It is... Sort of. It should be at least. But it's more uncomfortable than anything."_ Clint whined as the needle pierced his skin.

"Pretty sure it hurts less than being stitched up without a pain killer. But he's told me that while it looks painful, it's more uncomfortable than anything." Natasha said, soothing Clint gently.

Bruce worked quietly as he stitched Clint's wound up.

"Okay I'm done. We should get out of here and get home." He said.

"Do we have what we came here for?" Steve asked as he glanced at Tony.

"Yeah Jarvis already is transferring the information to the Tower hard drive." Tony reported.

"Thor, grab Clint and let's go home." Steve commanded.

Clint whimpered when Thor accidently jostled his leg picking him but remained still.

"So does Padfoot need stay Padfoot or can he turn back to Legolas?" Tony asked.

"He should stay in this form. He heals pretty fast like this." Natasha said.

"And in his human form?" Bruce inquired.

"A little bit faster than most humans. But not nearly as quickly as Cap or Thor." She told him.


	7. pain

**_Author: two chapters in a day, yay. For some reason Banner is hard to get in character so forgive any OOC._**

_"Wolf still hurt?"_

Banner pinched the bridge of his nose and thought, "Yes he's still hurt. But he's healing. I'll let him know you're concerned."

The Other Guy hummed happily before settled back down.

"Doctor Banner?"

Bruce blinked up at Steve and sighed, "The Other Guy was asking about Clint. He likes him but I think he likes him as a wolf best."

"Big green likes the big bad wolf?" Tony chuckled, opening a few beers and passing them around.

"Seems so. I'm going to go check on him and take Natasha a drink." Bruce said, grabbing a beer for Natasha and some water for Clint.

_"I want a painkiller. My leg is fucking throbbing."_ Clint groaned.

"How deep into the muscle did it go?" Natasha asked.

"Almost to the bone." Bruce said, surprising them both.

_"Deeper than it felt."_ Clint groaned.

"Do you have any painkillers?" Natasha asked.

"I can get him one. But in the meantime... Drinks." Bruce said, handing her the beer and pouring some water into a bowl for Clint.

_"I appreciate the water. Though I'd rather a beer and some morphine."_ Clint sighed.

"He says he's grateful but he rather have a beer and morphine." Natasha chuckled.

"I didn't think beer would be good for him in his current state." Bruce shrugged.

"It isn't. Though he's sneaked a few sips of mine before." She whispered.

"Jarvis would you ask Steve to grab a bottle of Morphine and a syringe?" Bruce requested.

Clint sighed heavily and curled up with his nose buried in his tail.

"He'll sleep better after a painkiller. But right now he needs sleep more than anything." Natasha whispered.

Bruce nodded and gently touched Clint's neck before whispering, "The other guy was asking about you earlier. He likes you."

Clint's ears twitched and he gently licked Bruce's hand.

"Doctor Banner. The stuff you asked for." Steve said softly.

Bruce prepped the needle and came Clint the injection before rubbing his ear gently.

"How is he?" Steve asked Natasha.

"Tired and in pain. But he'll be okay." She told him.

"Let's go join the others and let him rest peacefully." Bruce told them.

_It was dark and cold... He could hear water dripping in the distance._

_Dark, cold, water dripping in the distance... He was either in a basement or a cave somewhere._

_"Awake yes?" _

_He lifted his head slowly and cocked his head at the figure standing above him. _

_"Who are you?" He whispered._

_Son of a bitch... His head was throbbing._

_"It does not matter. You are next experiment." _

_The heavily accented voice spoke in broken English... It was definitely not his first language._

_"I'm not anyone's experiment." He growled. _

_"Silence!" The figure snapped, jabbing a needle into his neck._

_It was a sedative... Had to be... It was the only reason he would have clocked out so fast._

_The next time he woke, he was in more pain that he thought was possible. _

_He had been tortured before and it couldn't hold a candle to this._

_It felt like someone had laced his bones and muscles with molten metal._

_Like he was being ripped apart from the inside out._

_Like he had been forced to swallow millions of needles and knives._

_"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO ME!" he bellowed, scratching at the floor... At his clothes... Anything to try and alleviate the pain._

_The scientists or whatever they were watched him from outside the cell they had shoved him into._

_He didn't know how long he was in pain but when he finally came around, he was sweaty and sick._

_"He lives." One of the scientists chuckled._

_"You bastards... What the fuck did you do to me?" He panted._

_"You will know soon." Another scientist smirked._

_Know what?_

_What the fuck had these bastards done to him?_


	8. Torment

_**Author: barreling through chapters right now. Anyways have fun. Maybe not for weak of heart**_

Clint snarled in his sleep and curled into a smaller ball.

He always told anyone who asked that his transformation was not painful.

Uncomfortable as hell but not really painful.

It hurt about as much as having your back pop in multiple places at once.

The very first transformation... that one had hurt like hell.

It had started with the aching sensation deep in his bones that spread through his entire body.

Then the burning in his muscles and the popping in his joints, followed by the itching of his skin.

He screamed when the fur covered him from head to toe.

He started dry heaving when his tail grew and he passed out short after.

When he finally woke back up, he was still in his new form and panting.

His eyesight was strange, full of new colors that he couldn't even begin to name.

He could smell everything and he decided he didn't like not much.

But he could identify the scientists by scent now, once he got past the sterile scent they all had.

They tried to experiment on and study him in his new form but he bit anyone of got too close.

_"Here puppy puppy." one of the scientist laughed._

_He snarled, backing away from the sedative filled syringe._

_"It is time to experiment yes. Be good puppy and we will hurt you very little." Another chuckled._

_The woman with the sedative stepped close... Too close._

_He dove, dodging the needle and sinking his teeth in her shoulder. _

_She screamed loudly, loud enough that the echo almost deafened him._

_Her flesh tore easily, the bone broke, blood filled his mouth and then hands were on him... Trying to pull him off the female scientist... Trying to sedate him._

Clint woke up abruptly, snarling and snapping.

"Clint! Clint calm down! You're safe!" A voice shouted, trying to soothe him.

He dodged the hands reaching for him, limping away.

"Clint... Calm down son. You're going to hurt yourself worse." A second voice said.

That voice he knew... Trusted.

_"Fury? Nick?"_ He whined, shaking his head.

"Easy son... Just lay down and take weight off your injury. You'll tear the stitches otherwise." Fury said, crouching down in front of him.

Slowly Clint lay down on the floor, whining loudly.

"Good boy." Fury whispered, setting a hand gently on his head.

Clint turned his head and licked Fury's hand before glancing around the room.

Nat was standing nearby watching the scene while Bruce was looking at Steve's hand.

"What are the chances he's got rabies?" Tony asked, sitting beside Thor.

"Zero." Natasha whispered.

"Then what the fuck just happened?" Tony demanded.

"Night terrors. Everyone has them Stark." Fury growled.

"He bit Spangles!" Tony snapped.

"He was terrified! He was in the middle of a night terror and did not know where he was when he woke up!" Fury shouted, rising to his feet.

Tony glared at him but shut up.

Clint whined and rolled into his side, showing Fury the white streak of fur on his otherwise black pelt.

The human in him respected Fury and the wolf in him made him pay tribute that alpha.

"It's okay son. I'll deal with Stark." Fury told him.


	9. More than a little fucked up

_**Author: okay so I got another chapter up. It's been a long day and I'm worn out as hell. Enjoy **_

"Stark, the next time you decide to imply that one of my agents has rabies, decide against it." Fury growled.

"Your lap dog bit Cap. Might have mauled him if he hadn't been stopped." Tony hissed.

"Natasha could have stopped him if I had not been here. And he is not my lap dog." Fury said.

"Romanoff! Sparky weighs as much as she does if not more." Tony scoffed, eyeing Clint who had curled up next to Natasha.

"He would have stopped before he ever got close to attacking me." Natasha said.

"How? How the fuck do you know that!" Tony demanded.

"Because I'm his.. mate... His wife... More or less. We have no plans for marriage but... It's enough. And he would never hurt me... In either form. The wolf won't let him and the human side..." Natasha whispered as Clint stared up at her with soft eyes.

_"I need to shift back... I need to tell them.. To make them understand."_ Clint murmured.

"Are you sure? That's not something you tell just anyone." Natasha whispered, hugging him.

_"Yes. Find me some clothes."_ Clint grumbled, getting to his feet slowly and stepping behind the couch.

"You're going to tear those stitches boy." Fury warned.

"Wound's healed up enough. I'll live with torn stitches." Clint growled once he had a tongue to speak with.

"I'll look at them. Whenever you're ready." Banner said.

Clint nodded and sat down beside Natasha.

"My parents were both constantly drunk when I was a child. My father beat my mom, me, my older brother. After my parents died and the two of us, my brother and I... We ran away to circus. I was a sort of child prodigy there. But I wouldn't go with all the theft and shit my mentor and his pal wanted me to do. So they and my brother beat me within an inch of my life. Fury found me shortly after, rescued me and brought me into SHIELD." Clint admitted.

"How long ago?" Steve asked.

"I was seventeen then... I'm forty three now. So do the math." Clint shrugged.

"Twenty six years." Tony supplied.

"I owe Fury my life. Literally and figuratively." Clint admitted.

"You call me Dad again..." Fury warned at which Clint smirked.

"Okay so Fury is basicly daddy dearest to Furface and Spider Lady. But that still does not explain how she knew he wouldn't hurt her." Tony grumbled.

"I think it does actually." Steve whispered.

Tony glanced over his shoulder and asked, "Care to explain Spangles?"

"Clint was hurt by people who were supposed to care for him when he was younger. And now that he's older and has people who he cares for..." Steve began.

"I swore to myself that I would never hurt anyone I care about. I swore that I would never become my father, my brother or any of the bastards who beat the shit out of me." Clint finished.

"So that's how you know you'd never hurt her?" Tony scoffed.

"Stark you are treading on thin ice." Fury warned.

"Ask me if I care." Tony growled.

Clint growled softly and got up, grabbing Tony by his shirt and shoving him against the bar.

"Stark I do not like you. I do not respect you and I am sick as fuck of you insulting the people I care about. I feel bad for having bit Steve but if you don't shut up I will rip your throat out with my fangs." Clint snarled.

Tony stared up at Clint as the archer's storm colored eyes turned bright blue and his teeth lengthened and sharpened.

"Clint!" Fury, Natasha and Steve all snapped.

Clint paused, still glaring down at Tony... Wanting badly to rip his throat out.

"Let him go and let Banner see your leg. Now." Fury commanded.

Tony shivered as Clint let him go, still looking ready to kill.

"Stark step away now." Fury said.

Slowly Tony did as he was told while Banner moved to look at Clint's leg.

"Sit please." Banner whispered.

Clint didn't move but instead looked at Fury.

"Doctor Banner, why don't you take him elsewhere. Otherwise he might just rip Stark to pieces. And next time I might not stop him." Fury said, glaring at Tony.


	10. Truces, dinner and Supernatural

Truces, Dinner and Supernatural

_**Author: wacky title but oh well. I own nothing.**_

"Son of a bitch! You damn fur ball I will kill you!" Tony yelled.

Clint snarled and backed away as Tony grabbed a wrench to throw.

"Sir you were were warned about his behavior around the full moon." Jarvis cut in as the wrench missed Clint and clattered to the floor.

"Not helping J!" Tony snapped.

_"Neither is you screaming like a small child!"_ Clint snarled.

"I am not screaming... Wait a fucking second... I understood that!" Tony yelped, collapsing in his chair.

_"It's a kind of telepathy. I just mostly use it with Nat."_ Clint growled, rolling his eyes.

"You're a fucking telepathic shapeshifter now!" Tony shouted.

"_I've been like this since I got made into this via some dipshit's science experiments."_ Clint growled.

Tony leaned back, staring at the wolf with curious eyes before asking, "What else can you do?"

_"Give you rabies."_ Clint snarled.

"Asshole." Tony grumbled as Clint flicked his tail before walking out.

Bruce looked up when Tony came into his lab, cradling a bloody hand.

"What did you do this time?" The scientist sighed.

"Accidently stepped on the furball. Which apparently woke him up and freaked him out enough that he bit me." Tony grumbled.

"Can't say I blame him. He did warn everyone that he would be particularly easy to irritate around the full moon, which I believe is tonight." Bruce said, pulling out the supplies to clean and bandage Tony's hand.

The billionaire stared at the wall for a few seconds before asking, "Did you know he's telepathic?"

"Who?" Bruce murmured.

"Clint." Tony told him.

"What about Clint?" Bruce asked.

"He's telepathic. He's a fucking telepathic werewolf." Tony insisted.

"I think the correct terminology is shapeshifter. Werewolves tend to be depicted as a bipedal wolf. And in a majority of mythos, their bite will turn someone into a werewolf." Bruce said.

"Well that parts not true. And how do you know all of that?" Tony asked.

"I read." Bruce offered.

"Everyone reads." Tony countered.

Bruce raised an eyebrow at Tony but didn't offer anymore information.

"Alright go on. And don't get bitten again. We don't need two wolves running around." the scientist said after a few more minutes.

"Haha." Tony grumbled as he left.

Clint paced the communal living room for a while before pulling several throw pillows to the floor and curling up.

He really wanted to be back home near Ontario... Hunting, running or whatever else he was felt like doing.

But he was stuck in the tower and it made his miserable.

He hated cities when he was in his wolf form.

Too many scents.. too many sounds... Too many people.

The door opened quietly and he smelled motor oil, blood and burnt wires... Tony.

_"Don't you ever go away?"_ Clint growled.

"My tower. Communal living room." Tony said, going over to the bar.

Clint grumbled and buried his nose in his tail, watching Tony silently.

"Want one?" the billionaire asked, holding up a beer.

_"Booze is bad for wolves. Even if I am human part of the time."_ Clint sighed.

"So about dinner?" Tony offered.

"_I don't eat dog food. That shit is disgusting as hell."_ Clint growled.

"How's raw meat suit you?" the billionaire asked.

_"Fine. When I'm like this at least."_ Clint murmured.

Tony opened the freezer and peeked inside. "I see beef, chicken, lamb, Cornish hens. And some rabbit. Who the hell bought rabbit?" He said.

_"Probably Nat. I prefer to hunt mine."_ Clint admitted.

"J, where is Romanoff?" Tony asked.

"On a mission sir. And I have it in my data banks that Miss Romanoff did in fact purchase the rabbit." Jarvis said.

"Rabbit?" Tony asked Clint.

_"Suits me just fine."_ Clint shrugged, getting up and shaking.

"So how do I cook it?" Tony wondered.

_"Stewing it is great. But frying it up like chicken works too."_ Clint offered,

padding into the kitchen.

Tony pulled out his phone and found a recipe to fry it online, which he set to work on.

"I assume you want your share raw?" the billionaire asked.

_"Preferably. I don't eat a lot of fried food. Not like this especially."_ Clint told him, eyeing the rabbit.

Tony chuckled and offered him a piece, which he gobbled up happily.

"Do it taste like chicken?" He asked.

_"Not really. Have you ever had pheasant?"_ Clint asked.

"Maybe. Probably." Tony admitted.

_"Wild ones taste like similar... Kinda gamey. Farm raised isn't as strong as a flavor. I'm pretty sure Nat got wild over farm."_ Clint told him.

Tony kept Clint talking while he cooked his share of rabbit and while he settled them down in the living room and started eating.

"Oh damn this is good." the billionaire almost moaned.

_"Wait until you try it as a stew. I'll have to make it sometime. I'll need a lot of rabbits to feed everyone here though." _Clint chuckled, gobbling up his share of dinner.

"Oh no... Definitely not. We will be planning that ahead of time. Probably for a night when everyone is gone." Tony protested.

_"Selfish."_ Clint scoffed.

"Have you met me?" Tony laughed.

Clint smiled and gently nudged Tony's hurt hand. _"Sorry. I don't have a lot of control over my wolf when I get forcefully woken up on nights like this." _He whined.

Tony gingerly rubbed one of Clint's ears and said, "Me too. I was more surprised than anything I guess."

_"Truce?" _Clint asked.

Tony considered him before smirking and said, "Truce. Shake on it?"

_"I'm not a dog."_ Clint scoffed.

"Hey J... Put something on the tv." Tony called.

"Anything particular in mind sir?" Jarvis asked as the television on the wall turned on.

_"Netflix." _Clint offered.

"Netflix. So says the pooch." Tony said.

Clint growled softly and glanced up at the screen, eyeing the selection before glancing at Tony. _"Ever watched Supernatural?"_ He asked.

"Movie?" Tony asked, sliding their plates onto the table.

_"Tv show. Two brothers who go around hunting stuff like ghosts, demons and other supernatural stuff. Hence the name."_ Clint told him.

"Ehhh." Tony muttered.

_"There's a nice car involved. Black '67 Impala." _Clint teased.

"Sold. Start the show J." Tony said as he stretched out on the couch.

"Of course sir." Jarvis agreed.

Clint hopped up on the couch and rested his head on Tony's chest to watch the show.

"If you shift back, get off me. This is gonna look weird otherwise." Tony whispered.

_"Probably already does."_ Clint said.


	11. To Hell and Back

**_Author: another one not much for the weak of heart. Warning for language, torture and murder. I own the scientists._**

"Wake up Mister Stark."

Tony coughed and tried to move forward, but a set of chains behind him jerked him back.

"Who the fuck are you?" He hissed.

"You are friend to our experiment. Yes?"

"Experiment?" He asked.

"Agent who turned into wolf. You know him yes?"

"Agent? Wolf?" Tony whispered before it dawned on him who they meant.

Clint... They had to mean Clint.

"You know our puppy yes?" a different voice chuckled.

"Your puppy? And agent who turns into a wolf? I think you guys have seen too many werewolf films." Tony chuckled.

"Silence!" One of the scientist snapped before pain shot through Tony.

He remembered the feeling of electricity surging through his body from Afghanistan but this... This was much worse.

"I hope he comes and rips each and everyone of you to little pieces." He whispered before he passed out.

**-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-**

"Do we have any idea of his last known location?" Steve asked.

"We have a GPS ping from his phone. About twelve hours ago." Natasha said, typing away on a Stark Pad.

"From where?" Bruce asked.

Natasha looked over at Clint before pulling up a map with the GPS coordinates.

"Shit." Clint whispered, staring at the map.

"What is that place?" Thor asked.

"The place I was taken to. Where they made me..." Clint whispered.

"Where they made you into a what you are now." Bruce supplied.

"Yeah... And now they have Tony. And who knows what the fuck they're doing to him." Clint sighed.

"We will find him. And bring him home alive." Steve assured Clint.

Clint nodded slowly and stared at the map, shivering a bit.

"Let's go find him. And hope to hell, they haven't done anything to him." He growled.

Steve watched as Clint's claws grew and his teeth sharpened while his eyes turned a brilliant shade of blue.

**-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-**

Tony jerked awake and looked around.

He was in a cell... a cold, dark and damp cell.

It smelled like piss and mildew.

"This is where you kept him? In a cell like this?" he whispered.

His side hurt like hell from where they had shoved something against him... A taser or something that had sent electricity through him.

He crawled into a corner and reached under his shirt, slowly pulling his arc reactor from it's cavity.

"Fuck." He moaned, tapping a small button on the underside of the reactor.

He had built in a distress signal... Just in case.

And now he was glad he did.

Slowly he replaced the reactor and lay there panting, staring at the blood stain on the wall beside him.

**-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-**

"Guys... There's a signal. I'm pretty sure it's from Tony's arc reactor." Banner said.

"He has a GPS built into that thing?" Steve asked.

"No... It has a distress signal. For if something like this happened." Bruce told him.

"Good thing he did." Natasha whispered, touching Clint's back gently as he zipped up his jacket.

"Could something have accidentally triggered this signal?" Thor asked.

"It is possible but only if someone had pulled the arc reactor completely out and managed to touch the trigger switch in just the right way." Bruce shrugged.

"They might have removed the reactor but I doubt they would have hit that switch just right. So odds are good it was Tony." Clint said.

"How sure are you?" Banner asked.

"I'd bet my pelt on it." Clint told him.

Steve nodded and said, "Let's go get our billionaire then."

**-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-**

"That's the main building. If he's anywhere... He's there. In an underground cell..." Clint whispered, nodding down to the old stone building below them.

"Stay with us. We need you and not in your fur." Steve told him.

"No promises." Clint breathed.

Steve nodded and gently squeezed Clint's shoulder. He couldn't begin to understand how much stress the archer was under being back here.

But he would do what he could to help.

Natasha slid down a small snowbank and called, "Boys... We should go."

"Come on." Steve told Clint.

**-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-**

Tony screamed and arched his back as more electricity shot through his body.

"Tell us where experiment is!" One of the scientists demanded.

"Fuck you!" The billionaire screamed.

Another jolt of electricity and this time his scream was answered with a deep roar.

"What?" Another scientist shouted.

"Banner! Cap! Thor! Clint! Natasha!" Tony bellowed.

Another roar and an entire wall of the laboratory fell to pieces.

Clint dove through the opening, driving the head of an arrow into the nearest scientist's neck.

"Capture the experiment!" The head scientist snapped... just before Natasha landed on his chest.

"Tony? Are you alright?" Steve asked, slicing the restraints holding Tony down with the edge of his shield.

"Been worse." Tony whispered, rolling off the gurney.

"Hulk! Thor! Destroy this place! Let Natasha and Clint take care of the scientists!" Steve shouted.

"With great joy." Thor smirked, calling down lightning to destroy the equipment.

Hulk rushed back into the hall and tore neighboring rooms to pieces.

"Puppy... Here puppy." One of the female scientists crooned.

Clint growled and let his claws grow before slashing the scientist's throat open.

One of the men tried to stab Natasha with a scalpel but she dodged the scalpel and electrocuted him.

The rest of the scientists tried to run but found themselves face to face with a very angry wolf who didn't mind ripping their throats out.

Once the scientists were all dead Tony whistled softly and Clint padded over, blood covered muzzle and all.

"Are you alright?" Clint whined, letting Tony rub one of his ears.

"They... decided to electrocute me. Quite a few times. But other than that I'm okay." Tony whispered.

Natasha gathered up Clint's clothes and handed Tony the archer's jacket. "Should keep you warm." She said.

"It better, it's fur lined." Clint huffed as Tony slid into his jacket.

"Your reactor's a little dim." Steve whispered, pulling Tony to his feet.

"It'll brighten up once I rest and heal up." Tony told him.

"Friends, the Hulk has done a fine job of smashing this place. Shall we go?" Thor asked.

"We're done here. Natasha will you find and calm Hulk?" Steve asked.

"I want to burn this place to ashes." Clint growled.

Gone was the sterile smell that overwhelmed him here... Now there was only the scents of blood, fear and death.

"I agree." Tony whispered.

"Change back and let's find a way to torch the place." Steve told Clint.

Gasoline and other flammable chemicals weren't hard to come by and before long the entire inside of the building was soaked and ready to be torched.

Clint scrambled up onto the top of the jet and dialed up a trio of explosive arrows before nocking them and letting them fly.

The explosion was almost deafening but it was well worth it to see the building go up in a massive ball of flames.

"Thor can you maybe make a storm? One that will soak everything around the fire. But not touch the fire itself?" Steve asked.

"I will try." Thor assured him.

In seconds a massive storm had formed above them, pouring down rain all around the fire.

But the fire itself was untouched.

"You go sleep. I'll get us home." Natasha told Clint, shoving him to the back of the jet.


	12. To Asgard In Spirit

**_Author: this one is for my gal Fury-Natalia who let me bounce ideas back and forth with her. It didn't turn out quite how we talked about. But either way, hope you like._**

Clint sighed and stared out at the city surrounding the tower.

New York City was a far cry from the hell hole they had burned to ashes not even twenty four hours ago.

He lifted his head and sniffed the air.

He knew the Avengers... His pack... by scent.

Ozone, scorched fabric and a mix of exotic spices he couldn't name, no doubt Asgardian in origin... Thor.

"Are you well friend?"

"Worn out in almost every way. But aside from that I'm fine." Clint shrugged.

Thor chuckled and shook his head. "You are terrible liar friend." He said.

"Well I guess that should put an end to my years as an agent." Clint chuckled, glancing back at the city.

Thor held up a pair of six packs of beers and asked, "Join me for a drink friend? Or five?"

Clint smirked and said, "Come with me."

Thor cocked his head as Clint led him back inside and up to a room on one of the highest floors. "You have claimed this as your own?" The Asgardian asked, looking around at the large open room.

"Sorta. I started coming up here a few months back and then Tony started calling it my den." Clint shrugged, opening the balcony door.

Thor set the beers on the table and looked around. There wasn't much furniture in the room aside from a table, couch and a fridge. Pillows and blankets littered the floor, covered in black fur. "You come here in your pelt?" He asked.

"I go a lot of places around here in my pelt. This is just where I like to go when I can't stand to see anyone." Clint sighed, grabbing a bottle opener from the kitchenette in the corner.

"How often is that?" Thor asked, sitting on the couch and taking a sip of his beer.

"Used to be a lot. Now... not so much." Clint shrugged, settling down on the floor in the midst of a pile of pillows and blankets.

"You did not enjoy the company of the team?" Thor asked.

"I didn't trust myself with the team. Loki... He left me feeling so out of control that I didn't trust myself with the team, other agents, not even Natasha." Clint admitted softly.

"In Asgard, warriors seldom spend time away from their fellows. It is strange to see the team seperated so often." Thor admitted.

"Not so much in SHIELD. We spent time together but we enjoy our privacy mostly." Clint shrugged, sipping his beer.

"As I said, strange." Thor chuckled.

Clint stretched out and asked, "What's Asgard like? Your psycho adopted brother aside."

Thor leaned back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling before sighing.

"Asgard is beautiful. It's buildings are golden and full of light. It's people are strong and brave, even the women. My mother and Sif... They are warrior women. Much like your Natasha." Thor whispered.

"She's probably like it there." Clint laughed.

"I believe you would too. There are a great many places you could perch in your human form or run or hunt freely in your pelt." Thor told him.

"That sounds nice actually. There's some places I can run and hunt. But in some of those places, people will also shoot a wolf if they see one." Clint admitted.

"Why would humans shoot a wolf unless it attacked them?" Thor asked.

"Because humans are superstitious bastards. They used to believe that all wolves were evil... Something about them being in league with the devil. Or some bullshit like that. I don't know." Clint said.

"Humans are foolish." Thor sighed.

"Yeah I guess we are." Clint agreed.

"You are not.. either foolish or human. What you are is unique. Your ability to shift between human and wolf makes you something more than human. And you are quite clever for a human. You see things others do not. And see sides of people others do not." Thor told him.

Clint touched his beer bottle to Thor's and said, "Thanks pal."

"Agent Barton?"

"Yeah Jarvis?" Clint asked.

"Mr. Stark is awake. And Doctor Banner has confirmed that there has been no tampering with his genetic code. He appears to be as human as he ever was." the AI told him.

Clint sighed in relief and said, "Thanks Jarvis. Tell Banner it's good to know."


	13. Downtime

**_Author: downtime for the team since I don't have much of it myself right now. Tried to get our favorite wolf archer loved by everyone on the team._**

Natasha yawned and buried her nose in Clint's thick fur.

_"Morning you."_ Clint murmured, wagging his tail.

"What time is it?" She grumbled.

Clint glanced around and squinted at the alarm clock, growling at the glowing numbers that hurt his eyes.

"It is seven twenty three in the morning Agent Romanoff." Jarvis piped up.

"Thank you Jarvis." She yawned.

_"I warned you not to stay up until four am drinking Tony under the table." _Clint huffed softly.

"It was fun for a while." She groaned.

_"I'm not denying that. Even I had too much to drink last night. But my metabolism burned through it before we went to bed." _He told her.

"Don't rub it in." she moaned.

Clint hopped off the bed and stretched. _"I'm gonna go for a walk and see how the rest of the pack is doing after last night."_ He yipped.

Natasha groaned and rolled over, hiding under the blankets.

He wagged his tail and headed to the common room, where he could smell Tony and Thor.

Tony was curled up under the table with a bottle of water resting beside him.

The water bottle smelled like sweat, worn leather and hair gel... Steve.

Clint wiggled under the table and nosed Tony gently.

"Hmmmm?" the billionaire groaned.

_"Steve left you a water bottle. Be sure to drink all of it. No coffee until you do." _Clint whined softly.

Tony grabbed the scruff of his neck and pulled him close, snuggling down against him.

"Soft puppy, warm puppy..." the other man murmured before trailing off and going back to sleep.

Clint sighed, glancing up as the table moved and Thor's face came into view.

"Good morning friend." Thor whispered, rubbing one of his ears.

_"Morning. Are you hung over?" _Clint murmured.

"Not particularly. But I am still tired." the Asgardian admitted.

_"It's only seven something in the morning. You can go back to sleep. Nobody is up. Except Steve."_ Clint told him.

"That is a good plan. I will be sure Tony gets more sleep." Thor yawned.

Clint wagged his tail and slid out of Tony's grasp, leaving the billionaire to sleep off his hangover in peace.

Bruce's scent wasn't hard to miss, especially since it sent warning signals through him.

Bruce smelled of chemicals, rage and something akin to illness.

The gamma radiation had left other effects on him other than the Other Guy but Clint wasn't quite sure what.

"Morning Doctor." Clint whined softly, stepping into the lab.

Bruce started and turned his chair to look at him. "Morning Clint... Didn't hear you come in." he admitted.

_"Sorry about that. I'm quiet on my feet and my paws." _Clint yipped.

Bruce held out his hand to let Clint sniff his fingers as the Other Guy woke up enough to realize who their company was.

_"Wolf."_ the Other Guy yawned.

"The Other Guy knows you pretty well." Bruce chuckled, scratching the underside of his jaw gently.

Clint sighed and rest his head on Bruce's lap. He wasn't the most sociable member of the team but in his pelt... He could handle lot is attention like this.

_"We're not too different. We both run off instinct. He's fueled by rage and sometimes that's what makes me shift." _Clint muttered.

"I know.. I remember that from when we were rescuing Tony. You changed a little bit when we found him." Bruce admitted as the Other Guy dozed back off again.

_"I can change just a little bit to give myself claws, stronger senses, stuff like that. Anything else and I might as well shift completely."_ Clint shrugged.

Bruce nodded as one of Clint's ears swiveled in the direction of the door.

"Tony?" the scientist asked Clint.

Clint lifted his head off Bruce's lap and padded out into the hallway to greet Steve.

"Morning Clint." Steve smiled as Clint put his front paws on his chest.

_"Been on your run already?"_ Clint asked, wrinkling his nose.

"Obvious huh?" Steve asked, peering down at his sweat soaked shirt.

_"A little."_ Clint huffed.

Steve laughed and said, "Let me get cleaned up then I'll meet you out on the patio for some downtime and breakfast."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Steve stepped outside and shut the door silently behind him. "Tony's still passed out." He chuckled.

"That's what he gets for trying to drink Nat under the table." Clint laughed, tugging a shirt over his head.

"I think I made enough to three of us." Steve admitted, glancing at the two massive plates.

"Not a chance. Wolves eat pounds of food in a sitting and being in my pelt gives me a hell of an appetite." Clint laughed, taking one of the plates and a glass.

"Okay so this might feed us both?" Steve asked.

Clint shrugged and smirked as he dug into his food, motioning for Steve to join him.

They are in silence for a few minutes before Clint looked over as the sun started to come up and whispered, "Hate Stark all you like. But give the man props for picking a spot that has an amazing view of the city."

Steve looked out at the sunrise and admitted, "You're right. It really is something."

"You should take up photography, you'd be really good at it. Especially with your eye for detail." Clint said.

"Maybe. But I like drawing. It lets me get lost in my head." Steve shrugged.

"Take my word for it Cap, photography will do the same thing." Clint assured him.

"Maybe." Steve muttered.


	14. Burn It To The Ground

**_Author: been busy with work and other projects. Anyways sorry for length. _**

"We really need to get a com on Clint for when he's in his wolf form. It's weird to be talking into the coms and hear him in my head." Steve said.

_"I heard that."_ Clint yipped, wagging his tail.

"How far does the whole talking into our heads thing go? It's gotta have a limit right?" Tony asked.

_"Maybe. But I don't know how far it stretches. Tasha can always hear me, no matter how far away I am."_ Clint barked as Tony flew overhead.

"Perhaps it depends upon how closely connected you are to an individual. You and your lady love are very deeply connected." Thor suggested, landing beside them.

Clint rolled his eyes and nipped at Thor's hand before wandering out of the clearing they were settled in.

"I hate being here." Natasha whispered, hugging him when he approached her.

_"I know. Coming back to Russia is never easy. But it's okay. We'll look after you." _Clint whined, nuzzling her.

Natasha buried her face in his fur and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Romanoff? Clint?" Steve called.

_"Here!" _Clint barked.

Steve and Thor both appeared through the trees.

"Is she alright?" Thor asked.

"I'll be okay. It's just hard to come back here." Natasha whispered.

Here...

Twenty five miles outside of St. Petersburg, Russia.

The location of the Red Room.

Clint nuzzled Natasha and whined, _"You'll be safe love."_

A crash through the trees announced the Hulk's presence as he joined them.

"Hurt?" He asked, kneeling down beside them.

"No big guy. Not hurt. Just scared." Natasha said, gingerly touching his arm.

"Scared?" Hulk grumbled.

_"Lots of bad memories associated with this place for her."_ Clint told him.

Hulk stared down at the building, before he took a few steps forwards and growled.

"Not yet big guy." Steve told him.

"What's the plan Spangles?" Tony piped up.

"We go in and destroy this place. Burn it to ground. And end Natasha's nightmare." Steve told them.

Natasha looked up at him and whispered, "Thank you."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The main building was still standing but looked abandoned.

And to Clint's nose, it certainly smelled abandoned.

_"I don't smell anyone here. Pretty sure nobody's been around here for a long time. All the scents are faint. But it still reeks of blood, death and that sterile scent of a hospital._" Clint grumbled.

"I'm so glad I can't smell what you can." Natasha sighed.

"Clint is there anyway to get in?" Steve asked.

_"Maybe. Give me a few to see if I can find an entrance or something."_ Clint barked.

"Be careful." Natasha whispered.

"Stark. Keep an eye on him." Steve called.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Clint shoved his nose through an opening in an old door before pawing at it. "_I think I found an door. Or what used to be a door. I think it was busted down and boarded back up!" _He howled.

"Stay where you are." Steve commanded, running towards the source of the howl.

Tony and Thor both landed beside Clint as he continued to scratch at the door, occasionally tearing a piece of wood away.

Natasha shivered as she, Steve and Hulk joined him.

"Smash?" Hulk asked.

_"Be my guest." _Clint grumbled.

Hulk grinned and immediately torn away about half the wall along with the door.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Anybody except Natasha read Russian?" Tony asked, tapping the sign on the wall.

_"I can. Just takes longer in my fur. But pretty sure that says Medical Wing." _Clint panted.

Natasha reached into the small bag she carried to pull out a bowl and a bottle of water.

"I've got food too. And coffee." She whispered as Clint drank.

"I'll take some coffee." Bruce yawned.

"Me too." Tony admitted.

She pulled out a thermos of coffee and passed it around after taking a sip for herself.

Clint shoved his nose into her bag and pulled out a bag of jerky.

"You get a whole bag to yourself since you're a pig." Natasha whispered.

_"Am not. I just have to eat a lot. Wolves burn calories like you would not believe. If the calorie burn didn't carry over to my human form, I'd be reality show fat."_ Clint growled.

"I don't get that..." Steve began.

"It's for the best." Tony assured him.

Clint wagged his tail and nudged past Banner to go sniff at one of the doors.

_"Nat? You okay?"_ He whined back over his shoulder.

She smelled of fear and it had only gotten stronger since they walked in.

"I'll live." She muttered, staring down the long hallway.

**_*flashback*_**

"You can't do this!" She shrieked as two of the doctors forced her into a gurney.

"Natalia. You have passed every test we have given you. Now it is time for your graduation ceremony." The lead trainer, Kardinosky, told her.

She had passed all their tests, there was no denying that.

The Red Room was all she knew.

But this...

"Wait please! If I have children... Daughters, I could bring them here to be trained. Just please don't do this." She begged.

"I'm sorry Natalia but this is for the best. You will thank us later."

**_*end flashback*_**

It was the pain that brought her back.

_"Tasha? Can you hear me?"_

"Ms. Romanoff?"

She shook her head and looked at the furry figure in front of her.

Bright blue eyes stared at her, searching her face.

Sharp teeth had a hold of her shoulder, barely piercing her body suit... Just enough to hurt.

"Clint." She whispered, hugging him.

_"I'm here. What happened?_" He whined, releasing her shoulder.

"I had a flashback. This... This is where they took me for my so called graduation ceremony. This is where they sterilized me." She whimpered.

_"Oh sweetheart. I knew this was a bad idea." _Clint sighed.

"Clint? Why do you take her back to the Quinjet? We can take care of this." Steve suggested gently.

_"Good idea."_ Clint whispered, nudging Natasha to her feet.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Natasha jumped when something soft and warm touched her shoulders.

"It's just me." Clint whispered, wrapping his last pelt around her tightly.

"I thought you didn't leave your pelt behind anymore." She whispered.

"Once in a while I do. I just try not to at Tower. Not sure how the team would react to finding large black sheets of fur around." He told her.

She leaned against his chest and sighed, "I was so stupid to come back here."

Clint hugged her and said, "No you weren't. You wanted to close this chapter of your life. The best way to do it would be to burn this place to ashes."

"And I didn't even have a hand in it." She told him, watching the flames erupt from the building.

"No. But letting the team do it is the next best thing right?" He asked.

"Yeah, I guess. Let's go in. Even with your pelt, it's cold." She told him.

**_Author: I could be wrong but I think there is a mythos out there somewhere that talks about werewolves leaving their pelts behind when they shift back to human form. For Clint: it's optional._**


	15. Home & Safe or Finale

**_Author: based off the AoU scene where Clint takes the team to his family's home. But couldn't really think of another way to end the story. Sadly ideas ran out a few weeks ago._**

It started with a simple question everyone was wondering but never thought to ask.

Until Steve did: "When you're not here, where do you live?"

Everyone had noticed that Clint never called the Tower home.

He spent a great deal of time there as part of the team but he didn't have anything personal there like the rest of them.

Except for his weapons, but those went everywhere he did.

Natasha glanced over at Clint with a slightly raised eyebrow.

Was he going to tell them about his cabin, hidden from the rest of the world and surrounded by the woods he loved so much?

"Outside of Ontario." Clint said with a shrug.

"That's all we get?" Tony whined.

Clint rolled his eyes as Natasha looked at each of them.

They were all curious about where their shapeshifting archer called home and his simple answer wasn't going to tide them over.

"You guys really want to know?" Natasha asked.

"Yes... We are all quite curious." Thor admitted.

Clint gave Natasha a sideways glance that asked one simple question, "Should we show them?"

She looked at them all again before nodding ever so slightly, "Yes."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Natasha watched as Clint wove through the brush in front of them, checking whether or not there were unwelcome visitors.

He bounded out of sight for a moment then came back, tail wagging happily.

"All clear. Come on." He yipped before bouncing away again.

"He's happy." Steve chuckled.

"He always is when he gets to come home." Natasha told him as they stepped out of the forest.

Home was wooden cabin with a barn nearby and a dirt path for a drive way. It was rough, wild and simple... A lot like Clint.

"Wow." Banner whispered.

"It's not much. But it's just enough." Natasha smiled, leading them up the porch steps and inside.

Tony's nose wrinkled a little at the smell of fur, leather and something woodsy.

Steve set his bag down and looked around quietly.

A pair of well worn work boots sat by the front door next to a bow and a quiver of arrows.

There were a few pictures on the wall: some of Clint (in either form) and Natasha, some of Clint with Coulson and/or Fury and some just of random places.

The furniture was all wood, simple and well used and Steve suspected, maybe hand made by Clint.

"Make yourselves at home. I don't have much but what I have you're welcome to." Clint said, coming back into the living room.

"Your home suits you well." Thor told him.

"Thanks." Clint said, stepping into a back room as Natasha opened the pantry.

"Still got a lot of canned stuff but we'll have to go to town for anything fresh." She called.

"There's a lot of meat in the deep freeze. But yeah... We need some fresh stuff." Clint called back.

"Any booze?" Tony called.

"Mostly vodka. But I bet we can find some Jack." Clint laughed.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Steve tossed the remains of his beer into the bonfire they had made in the yard and stepped back to watch it flare.

"I got to admit... despite its lack of phone service, Internet or signs of civilization... You got a nice place Padfoot." Tony said.

"Thanks dipshit." Clint smirked as Natasha tucked herself against his side, wrapped up in one of his pelts.

"My biggest complaint: it's cold." She piped up.

"You're Russian." Tony scoffed.

"And you're a Cali boy. How are you not freezing?" She shot back.

"He's cold too. Just trying to hide it." Clint chuckled.

"Am not!" Tony shouted as he went to stand by the fire.

Natasha rolled her eyes and cuddled closer to Clint.

"You can go inside where it's warm." Clint told her.

"I'll stay here. I like seeing our pack like this." She told him as Thor and Steve stood nearby talking while Tony and Bruce chatted softly by the fire.

They were all relaxed, happy and for the time being: not worrying about the next mission.

"So do I." Clint admitted


End file.
